Somali Diasporas call upon the UN and the UN Security Council to Stop Ethiopia’s Aggression and Meddling in the Internal Affairs of Somalia

Concerned Somali DiasporaTuesday, March 15, 2011

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We, the undersigned members of Concerned Somalis in the Diaspora, are deeply dismayed by the international community’s indifferences to the unfettered menacing involvements of Ethiopia in the protracted civil conflict of our country.We urge the UN Security Counsel and the AU to condemn Ethiopia’s repeated violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and the killings of hundreds of innocent civilians.

During the past two decades, Ethiopia has covertly and overtly contributed to the destabilization of Somalia, arming warlords as well as carrying out devastating militarily campaigns inside Somalia in violations of international laws (Chapter 1, Article 1 and 2.4 of the UN Charter).

Consistent with the previous aggression and destabilization of our country, Ethiopian armed forces have once again joined a yet new armed conflict between two Islamists groups:extremist Islamists groups of Al-Shabaab and the Ethiopia-backed Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jameeca (ASWJ).In this most recent mindless war between these competing armed groups, the Ethiopian armed forces, in support of the ASWJ militias, have subjected the border town of Belad Hawo (Gedo) to indiscriminate artillery bombardments that caused countless losses of civilian lives, displacements of thousands of families from their homes, and the destructions of the already battered infrastructures of the town.Similar Ethiopian army incursions into Somali soils have also been on-going for nearly two years in Bakool, Hiiraan, and Galgaduud, with devastating humanitarian consequences for the Somali civilians of the affected towns/cities.

The latest Ethiopian policies-of-destabilization by means of military incursions into Somalia comes at a time when the Somali people in the border regions (Gedo, Bakool, Hiiraan, and Galgaduud) are devastated by a severe draught that caused unspeakable humanitarian crises and sufferings of which international aid and response are still desperately needed.

The Somali people (both inside and outside the country) feel betrayed by the International Community's complacencies or indifferences to our protracted conflict and Ethiopia's established aggression, destabilization, and disproportionate use of violence against Somali citizens. The world community should understand that the solution to Somalia’s protracted conflict could only be reached through genuine internal reconciliation process and dialogue among the people of Somalia without interferences from neighboring countries as the case has been for the past two decades.

We, the undersigned members of Concerned Somalis in the Diaspora with roots across Somalia, including activists, educators, intellectuals, and professionals:

·Condemn the deliberate and indiscriminate artillery bombardments of the heavily populated Somali town of Belad Hawo by the Ethiopian army and demand Ethiopia to stop immediately these unprovoked hostilities and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Somalia's territory.

·Condemn and denounce the mindless violence, deplorable tactics and policies pursued by Ethiopia, Ethiopian-supported militias, and Al-Shabaab all of which are collectively tantamount to genocide and War Crimes against the Somali people.

·Call upon the International Community to equally condemn the Ethiopian aggression on innocent Somali civilians and the violation of international human rights laws committed by all groups in the current hostilities in Belad Hawo, Belad Weyn and Galgadud.

·Request from the UN Security Council to establish immediately an inquiry into the violations of International laws arising from the recent and the previous wars that were waged in Somalia and on the Somali people.

·Bring the attention of the World and the UN to the deleterious ramifications of Ethiopia’s unimpeded meddling in the affairs of Somalia.In our view, the Somali people are entitled to account for and reparations for the Ethiopia’s documented aggressions towards our country and atrocities committed against our people.

·Ask that these destructive policies/strategies of Ethiopia against Somalia end immediately and the regime in Addis Abba comply with international laws/resolutions vis-à-vis the Somali conflict. Equally, we request that the people of Somalia be allowed and assisted in determining locally crafted solutions to their internal conflicts.

Lastly, we remind the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia to show restraint on its military operations in Mogadishu, especially when civilian cost is too high. The increased bombardments of civilians under the TFG’s name correlates directly with the shrinking legitimacy that have thus far hindered TFG’s domestic policies and denied any breakthrough to occur during its transitional period.On the way forward, we call upon the TFG to show leadership in devising innovative means and methods of achieving comprehensive reconciliation.There are no military solutions to the protracted political problems of our country.